NEWS FILE PHOTO Medicine Hat City Hall is seen in this undated photo.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Alberta Health Services is the lead authority in battling the spread of the Corona virus, the City of Medicine Hat emergency planners said Thursday, but added plans are in place keep essential services going if the pandemic worsens.
The effort to halt the spread of the disease could likely affect non-essential programming offered by the city, director of emergency management Merrick Brown told the News early in the day.
That includes things like concerts or other gatherings, but the focus within the organization is keeping staffing levels high enough to keep water and power flowing, and police and fire crews on the road.
“We’re reviewing and updating our business continuity plans as they relate to making sure essential services are maintained,” said Brown
In terms of regular operations, standing contingency plans prioritize services provision into several categories, from essential to desirable, he said.
“The process is determining what’s most important for citizens… and we want to maintain the health and safety of our workforce
Beyond obvious emergency personnel, such as police and fire departments, essential services include the gas, electrical and water utility departments, road maintenance (such as snow clearing), garbage collection and even transit workers.
If a large portion of that workforce is ill, or comes under self quarantine procedures, shortages could be handled via overtime or other staff would be elevated temporarily, said Brown.
That would not require the city to declare a state of local emergency, he said.
The most recent example city hall’s response to a health emergency came in 2009 when city hall required certain employees to be vaccinated for strains of H1N1.
Currently there is no vaccine for COVID-19, but the city has asked workers to be vigilant in following Alberta Health’s recommendations regarding interpersonal contact, hygiene and, potentially, self-isolation.
As well, the city will apply provincial health orders and recommendations to its operations that involve the general public.
For citizens in general, said Brown, its key to stay informed as the situation is still evolving.
“It’s important to stay up to date with AHS guidelines,” he said.
There are no confirmed cases in Medicine Hat, but health authorities are asking anyone, anywhere in the province who displays symptoms or has returned from international travel to self quarantine as a precaution.
The province also requested late Thursday that all 250 people or more be suspended with exceptions for religious services or shopping.
Speaking earlier Thursday, Brown said that aside from extra precautions, operations at city facilities were not affected, but updates would be made publicly available as soon as changes were warranted.
At the city-owned Canalta Centre, a concert by country music performer Brad Paisley was scheduled to go on as planned tonight, bringing as many as 5,000 fans together.
The Western Hockey League announced on Thursday it had suspended games indefinitely, including Saturday’s Tigers game against the Swift Current Broncos.
